NEIGHBOURS of a fireworks storage unit have blasted the borough council for taking no action against the company they claim has repeatedly flouted planning law.

The former World War Two munitions shed on Bollington Lane in Nether Alderley has been used by Echo 2 Ltd to house industrial fireworks on a temporary basis since 2003.

The company applied for a permanent licence at the unit, known as shed seven, but was denied permission by planners at Macclesfield Borough Council in June. The owners were told they had to leave the building and remove all of their stock.

But residents, who claim the firm has continually abused planning conditions since operating at the site, say it still has not moved out. And they claim that it is continuing to ignore planning guidelines by allowing too much traffic to pass through the site until late at night.

One homeowner on Bollington Lane, who battled with other residents to stop Echo 2 from being allowed to use the site, said: “Five months ago Echo 2 were denied planning permission to use the site to store fireworks any longer.

“They were supposed to vacate the building and no longer store anything there but it is still stuffed to the gunnells with fireworks.

“The HSE have done nothing and neither have the borough council. The council said it had sent an enforcement letter to them but it went to the wrong address. Another one was supposed to have been sent but that too got ‘lost’.

“Then two weeks ago masses of wagons started to turn up and I reported this to Vincent Farrell, Chief Enforcement Officer at the council. They were there until 9pm and at one point I counted 12 vehicles on the site including five HGVs. They were told by the council that they were only allowed one HGV a day on the site.

“Even if they had been given permission for these vehicles, they should still have vacated the site by 5.30pm.”

He added: “The council has told me Echo 2 are in the process of getting rid of their stock, but I don’t see why they are allowing them to take so long to move out or why they are letting them break the planning guidelines in the process - it’s not as though they pay taxes here, they don’t vote, and they don’t provide employment for local people.

“It has been purgatory for residents living on Bollington Lane.”

Council officials have admitted that no action has been taken and that residents will just have to wait until Echo 2 Ltd clears out its stock.

A spokesman said: “The shed is still full of fireworks and that’s why there have been quite a few vehicles there. Echo 2 are trying to clear as much stock out as they can.

“There is no point in sending an enforcement notice because the company will have moved out by the end of October.

“Enforcement officers will be checking their progress however, and monitoring what is going on. It is just highly unfortunate for residents at the moment.”